About Us
Just like many weddings, our business is a family affair.
Hen House Brides is now a well-established full-service wedding boutique run by Ceri’s daughter Harriet and located in a magnificent Georgian mansion at 28 St. John’s Street, by Devizes Town Hall. Meanwhile, just up the road at number 4, you can find Ceri’s husband Bob presiding over Fox in the House, which is dedicated to menswear and formal hire.
To cater for your more informal occasions, we have recently relocated our women’s fashion boutique into larger premises facing Fox in the House. The Gallery is the place to go for quality womenswear focusing on design, style and comfort, and as with our bridal dresses, you have the option to have any pieces altered by our in-house team for the perfect fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
We have put together some of our most asked questions below, but if you cannot see what you are looking for, please feel free to get in touch on 01380 739930 or send us an email.
At Hen House Brides, we want you to feel you can always contact us with your queries no matter how small or silly they may seem, so you can just relax and have one less thing to worry about ahead of your big day.
Do I need to book an appointment?
Yes please! To ensure you can have our undivided attention and the best possible experience we do ask all our new Brides and Mothers of the Bride or Groom to book an appointment. We allow plenty of time for bridal appointments, which will take place in our dedicated suite reserved exclusively for the bride and her party. To make a booking, you can submit a request online here, call us on 01380 739930 or pop in and see us in person at our sister shop, The Gallery at 1 Wine Street, Devizes between 10am-5pm Monday to Saturday.
Do you charge for appointments?
We do not believe in charging for appointments; however, we do kindly ask you to let us know if you can no longer attend or are running late.
How long before my wedding should I think about booking?
Typically, our brides come to us anywhere between a year to six months before their wedding day, however we will always endeavour to work with your own individual time scale. As we can alter a dress stocked in our boutique to perfectly fit you, you will not necessarily need to worry about waiting for your chosen style to be ordered and delivered.
What if I have no idea what I want?!
No problem at all. In fact, even brides that come to us with a clear idea of what they are looking for are often surprised by their final choice. Furthermore, if you decide you like the bodice of one dress and the skirt of another, then that is completely achievable too. Harriet and her small team will be on hand to guide you through the selection process and give you expert advice delivered with honesty, kindness and humour.
What bridal designers do you stock?
At Hen House, we stock quality wedding gowns from British designers that meet with our house style and ethos of individuality. We are firm believers that it is more important to find the dress that you look and feel amazing in rather than focus on the designer label, and aim to ensure each bride leaves in an impeccably fitted dress suited to her own unique body shape and personality. The joy of our service is you can pay an off-the-peg price for a wedding dress, which is then customised and made individual to you. For those of you that have a distinctive vision and cannot find your dream dress, we can even create a fully bespoke gown.
How much do your dresses cost?
Dresses start from £1000, however, the average cost of one of our wedding dresses is £1850, not including alterations.
Nevertheless, we will endeavour to accommodate any budget, so please do have a chat with us at your initial appointment or if your circumstances should change for any reason.
How many people can accompany me to my bridal appointment?
We recommend bringing no more than two or three guests as too many opinions can be overwhelming for the bride. However, we have plenty of space, so we do not impose a limit. Bring the people you cannot say ‘yes’ without, and remember, there will be subsequent fittings that you can always bring a friend or relative to instead. It is also fun to keep as many people as possible guessing until the big day!
How do I find you and where to park?
Our bridal boutique is housed within a beautiful Georgian mansion next to the Town Hall in the heart of the historic Wiltshire market town of Devizes.
Hen House Brides
28 St. John’s Street
Devizes
Wiltshire
SN10 1BN
There is limited short-stay parking directly in front of Hen House Brides and on St John’s Street.
Central Car Park, The Market Place and Station Road are all within a 6-minute walk.
Please allow at least two hours for your first appointment to avoid getting a ticket!
Should I bring anything with me to my appointment?
Basically, just yourself! Seamless nude or pale coloured underwear and a strapless bra are always good, but not essential. You are welcome to bring your own shoes, but we also have lots of styles available for you to try.
Can I wear make up to my appointments?
To protect the dresses, please keep any makeup light and avoid using transferable tanning products.
Can I bring bubbles to my appointment?
As it is such an important decision, we recommend keeping a clear head while you try on dresses. However, we can recommend plenty of nearby places to celebrate after!
What happens if I choose my dress?
Firstly, congratulations! We will give you a full quote, including the cost of any alterations required. To secure your dress, we then kindly ask for a 50% deposit upfront and will arrange a date for you to return for your first Fitting Appointment. We appreciate weddings can be an expensive time, so ask that the remaining balance on your dress is settled by Collection Day.
Will you store my dress for me when it arrives?
Absolutely! We will look after your dress and any accessories until you are ready to collect. Your dress will be steamed, pressed and hung carefully in a gown bag for Collection Day.
Besides the bride, do you cater for any other members of the wedding party?
Yes, we are one of the top destinations in the South West region for Mothers of the Bride or Groom and other leading ladies, from Grandma to Flower Girls. An excellent selection of Men’s formal wear is available to hire or buy from our brother, Fox in the House, located at 4. St John’s Street.
Can you clean and box my dress after the wedding?
Yes, we offer a specialist cleaning service and the option to have your wedding gown returned to you wrapped in acid free tissue paper within a beautiful dress box for safekeeping after the big day.